Sydney (South) - Haymarket
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Sydney (South) - Haymarket are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Sydney South Haymarket's population is 23,797 as of August 2025. This reflects a 19.4% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 19,935 people. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 23,777 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 22,034 persons per square kilometer, placing Sydney South Haymarket in the top 10% nationally. The area's growth rate exceeds both the state (6.4%) and metropolitan areas, indicating strong population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.7% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Sydney South Haymarket is forecasted to grow by 10,129 persons, reflecting a 42.4% increase over 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Sydney (South) - Haymarket was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Sydney South - Haymarket has seen approximately 170 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 854 homes were approved, with no approvals yet in FY26.

On average, about 2.3 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. This year has seen $163.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Haymarket records higher construction activity, with 41.0% more approvals per person over the past five years.

Most recent developments have been medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. By 2041, Haymarket's population is expected to grow by 10,088 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 72 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Atlassian Central, Harbourside Redevelopment by Mirvac, Hyde Metropolitan, and Central Place Sydney. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

The labour market strength in Sydney (South) - Haymarket positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Sydney South - Haymarket has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.7%.

Over the past year, it maintained relative employment stability. As of June 2025, 14,580 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%, with workforce participation similar at 60.0%. Key industries include accommodation & food, professional & technical, and finance & insurance. Accommodation & food has high concentration, with employment levels at 4.3 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 6.3% compared to 14.1% regionally. The area hosts more jobs than residents, attracting workers from nearby areas. Over June 2024-June 2025, employment increased by 0.3% while labour force grew by 0.6%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded higher growth rates during this period. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest local growth in Sydney South - Haymarket may differ slightly.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows that Sydney (South) - Haymarket had median assessed income of $42,927 and average income of $107,563, placing it in the top percentile nationally. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Using Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $47,477 (median) and $118,965 (average). Census data indicates household income ranks at the 73rd percentile ($2,108 weekly), with personal income at the 53rd percentile. Distribution data shows that 34.6% of locals (8,233 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, similar to the broader area where 30.9% fall within this range. The district exhibits significant affluence with 31.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 25.8% of income, but strong earnings result in disposable income at the 58th percentile. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census evaluation showed that in Haymarket, Sydney (South), 0.1% of dwellings were houses while 99.9% were other types such as semi-detached and apartments. In contrast, the Sydney metropolitan area had 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Haymarket was at 12.0%, with mortgaged properties at 11.0% and rented ones at 76.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Haymarket was $2,600, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,705. The median weekly rent figure for Haymarket was $620, higher than Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Haymarket's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national average of $375.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 50.3% of all households, including 9.2% couples with children, 33.5% couples without children, and 4.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 49.7%, with lone person households at 30.4% and group households making up 19.3%. The median household size is 2.3 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 1.9.

The educational profile of Sydney (South) - Haymarket exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Sydney (South) - Haymarket shows 53.0% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are most common at 36.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.1% and graduate diplomas at 1.7%. Vocational credentials are held by 26.1% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 18.9% and certificates at 7.2%. Current educational participation is high, with 43.9% enrolled in formal education, including 12.8% in tertiary, 2.0% in primary, and 1.6% in secondary education.

Australian International High School serves the area but has no students enrolled as of the provided data. Secondary education is dominated by one school, while primary students typically attend schools in neighboring areas due to lack of local schools.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Sydney has 61 active public transport stops in Haymarket, serving a mix of ferry, train, light rail, and bus routes. These stops are covered by 143 individual routes, offering 57,309 weekly passenger trips combined. Residents' accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 147 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 8,187 trips per day, equating to approximately 939 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Sydney South - Haymarket demonstrates excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 75% of its 17,776 residents have private health cover, higher than Greater Sydney's 69.7%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 2.9% each of the population. Ninety-point-nine percent declare no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 77.4%. Four-point-five percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,082 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 9.7%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Sydney South's Haymarket area has one of the country's highest levels of linguistic diversity, with 76.0% speaking a language other than English at home as of 2016. In this area, 82.9% were born overseas by 2016. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Haymarket, accounting for 30.2% of its population, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 7.1%.

For ancestry, Chinese origin was highest at 33.5%, followed by Other at 33.3%, and English at 9.1%, compared to regional averages of 13.0%, 16.1%, and 19.8% respectively. Notably, Korean (3.1%), Spanish (0.8%), and Vietnamese (2.2%) origins were also overrepresented in Haymarket as of 2016.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Sydney (South) - Haymarket's median age is 31 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, it has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 at 42.0%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 2.2%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 has increased from 19.8% to 21.0%, while the percentage of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 5.0% to 4.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Sydney (South) - Haymarket's age profile. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 2,317 people, increasing from 10,004 to 12,322 residents.